Commisseration
by demonman21
Summary: Sequel to the Episode "Love's a Witch." Piper has just divorced Leo, and he's feeling pretty down. He gets sympathy and support from a most surprising place.


Commiseration  
  
Sequel to "Love's a Witch". I do not own any part of Charmed, I just write about it.  
  
With each step Piper took, Leo's heart fell further. She wanted to end it.how could she? Leo knew that she'd wanted space to figure things out, but he'd never thought this would be the outcome. Or rather a small part of him had known, a part that was now screaming in his mind.  
  
Leo wanted to fall to his knees and weep, or to scream his denial. The love of his life was walking away, and Leo doubted she would ever come back. What would he do? Could he really let her go so easily? Leo knew he had to be an Elder, and it was a sacrifice he'd been willing to make at the time, but now.  
  
This was all Chris's fault Leo thought angrily. He manipulated him to do this, to become an Elder. He'd known this was a one-way door, and he'd.Leo sighed. No, Chris wasn't completely at fault. He had done what he had to for the future. How could Leo honestly fault him for that?  
  
Leo was so preoccupied with his thoughts he didn't feel the touch against his mind for several moments. Finally, he felt it, just at the edges. Leo felt an.invitation. There was no identification, but there was a definite feeling of an invitation. Cautiously, Leo orbed to that location, curious as to its source.  
  
When Leo appeared, he found himself in a well-kept chamber with tasteful furniture strewn throughout. It created an instant impression of power, wealth, and strength. But who had invited him here?  
  
"Well, I have to admit, I didn't think you'd come that quickly," a voice mused from the corner. Leo whirled, and felt his heart stop and his blood freeze. It was impossible.  
  
"Cole." Leo whispered in disbelief.  
  
Cole grinned slightly, and gestured. An orange field appeared, and Leo felt a barrier in his mind. Leo knew without testing it that he was trapped, preventing from orbing or being sensed. Leo crouched defensively, and prepared to fight.  
  
"Relax Leo. I didn't invite you here to fight," Cole responded. He casually leaned against a desk in the corner, and crossed his arms.  
  
"I find it hard to believe that coming from a demon.one's who supposed to be dead." Leo countered.  
  
Cole laughed, "Come on Leo. Did you honestly think a petty thing like death would really stop me? It never has before. You're smarter than that."  
  
Leo fought the urge to nod. He'd always thought Cole's vanquishing too hard to believe. He'd wanted to believe in the Power of Three, but it was Cole, a being who had shown time and again he was beyond the normal rules. "Regardless, you're not exactly my favorite person. Honestly, I trust you as far as I can throw you."  
  
Cole shrugged, "Which would be a fair distance I'd say. You've put on some muscle since we last spoke. I'd say your time with the Amazons was well spent."  
  
"How." Leo sputtered.  
  
"How I know is regardless," Cole stated simply, "Let's just say I've had an eye on everyone around the Charmed Ones for some time. Congratulations on becoming an Elder, by the way. I always knew you were destined for great things."  
  
For some reason, Leo felt like laughing. This Cole was.different than he'd been recently. He was.calm. Leo slowly relaxed, and asked, "Since I'm not here to fight, why am I here."  
  
Cole stood up, and started walking towards a cabinet, "I'm glad to see you came around. It was much faster than I would have thought. I invited you here to talk, that's it."  
  
As Cole opened the cabinet and begin to pull things out from it, Leo voiced, "Talk about what?"  
  
Cole turned and offered a glass to Leo, who took it slowly. As Cole pulled out some sort of liquid, he added softly, "About what just happened between you and Piper.drink?"  
  
Leo felt pain flash in his chest as everything he'd been feeling roared to the surface. He held out his drink unconsciously as he said, "Thanks anyway, but I don't need to talk."  
  
"Actually, you do." Cole countered while pouring into both Leo's and his glasses. "And I'm the best person in existence to talk to about this."  
  
"How do you figure that?" Leo demanded as he finally realized he had a drink in his hand.  
  
Cole sipped from his own glass, and murmured, "I'm the only other being who knows exactly what it's like to be dumped and discarded by a Charmed One."  
  
"It's not like that," Leo said sharply.  
  
Cole raised an eyebrow, "Really? What would you call what happened?"  
"It's.complicated," Leo mentioned defensively.  
  
"I remember how much Phoebe hated that word," Cole said sardonically, "How are things going between her and Jason?"  
  
"Fine.wait, you know about them?" Leo said in surprise.  
  
Cole laughed bitterly, "Leo, I know about your promotion. Do you honestly think I'd miss the fact that my ex-wife and soul-mate was screwing a new guy?"  
  
Leo winced, and said, "Sorry." Then he began to wonder why he even felt sorry.  
  
"Don't be. I've moved on," Cole remarked, "And so should you."  
  
"Wait just a minute," Leo began indignantly, "Just because of what happened between you and Phoebe doesn't mean you can say anything about Piper and I."  
  
"Leo, I know how the sisters work. All the Halliwell sisters are alike, at least where it matters to us. They may differ in personality, but they have the same values. Grams taught them well," Cole explained. "You know one, you know any of them. And I'm telling you, it is pointless to try and hold on."  
  
Leo finished off his drink, and Cole began to refill it. "Piper's different. She and I were married; we have a child. We'll work things out; we have to. We're meant to be together."  
  
"That's what I thought about Phoebe and I, and look what happened," Cole pointed out.  
  
"That's different, you." Leo began, but trailed off.  
  
"Went evil?" Cole finished. When Leo nodded in embarrassment, Cole shrugged, "It wouldn't have mattered in the end. Sooner or later, Phoebe and I would have gone separate ways, just like I knew that you and Piper weren't going to work. Do you want to know why?"  
  
Leo's mind screamed to say no, but he found himself nodding, "Yes."  
  
"The sisters are Halliwell witches first, and women second," Cole said softly, "and Halliwell witches are destined to go it alone. I believe Piper said it best. 'We're blessed as witches, but cursed as women'."  
  
"That's not." Leo began to disclaim.  
  
"You know their destiny, and their families' destiny," Cole interrupted, "Always the prophecy's talk about the Power of Three, and the bond as sisters. There is no mention of husbands being close, or being involved. We aren't even a footnote in their life; no guy is. And our lack of mention proves we are fighting a losing battle."  
  
"You're twisting things," Leo protested weakly.  
  
"Am I?" Cole continued mercilessly, "Or is it finally I am showing the truth, past all the confusion of love and emotion? Face it Leo, the Charmed Ones were never meant to live long lives as wives. They can never afford to get that close. We are a weakness and a liability they aren't allowed to have. I would honesty be surprised if any of them ever get married again. Oh, they'll be the occasional boyfriend, and maybe even a fiancé or two. But in the end, it will just be the three of them against evil. As it was always meant to be."  
  
Cole's words had hit like knives, and had worn away all the excuses and lies Leo had built up around his heart. Leo sighed, and tears began to slide down his face. Cole walked over and put a hand on Leo's shoulder, "Believe me, Leo. I wish it could be different, for both of us. It isn't fair that we can never be with the women we love. If life were fair, I'd still be happily married to Phoebe, and probably be a father by now. But life isn't fair, is it? You know that as well as I do."  
  
Leo nodded slowly, and said softly, "I just wish."  
  
Cole nodded, "As do I, Leo. As do I."  
  
Leo shook his head, and wiped his face. He looked at Cole, "Why are you doing this for me? Especially considering how I acted to you before."  
  
A sad look came over Cole's face, "I wasn't exactly blameless is causing that treatment. But I still remember how it used to be. And no one deserves to be destroyed by love."  
  
Leo laughed, "I'm surprised I even listened to you,"  
  
Cole shrugged, "I cast a spell on you."  
  
"What?" Leo gasped in shock.  
  
"Well, I couldn't talk to you if you hung onto all the preconceptions from before," Cole explained.  
  
"I should be mad, but for some reason I'm not." Leo mused in surprise. "Your doing?"  
  
Cole shook his head, "No, I haven't been 'helping' you for quite some time."  
  
"I suppose I should get back," Leo stood regretfully. He stared at Cole for a long time and then added, "Thank you, but you do realize it doesn't change what I have to do? You helped me, but I still have to let everyone know you're alive."  
  
Cole's face took on a serious note, " I wouldn't worry about it."  
  
***  
  
Leo looked around with a start. The Manor, what was he doing here? Last thing he remembered he was.oh well. He better get out of here before Piper catches him in the house.  
  
Leo prepared to leave, but he thought again about what Piper had told him. For some reason, he didn't feel as bad about it as before. He decided maybe he had just accepted that this was how it had to be.  
  
As Leo orbed, he swore he could hear a familiar laugh in his mind.  
  
THE END 


End file.
